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U.S. government to use template documents for construction contracts

The U.S. government has joined a growing list of groups that allow for the use of template construction contract documents prepared by a coalition of building, owner and surety groups, known as ConsensusDOCS.

WASHINGTON, D.C.

The U.S. government has joined a growing list of groups that allow for the use of template construction contract documents prepared by a coalition of building, owner and surety groups, known as ConsensusDOCS.

The decision by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utility Service opens the way for key template documents to be used in water construction projects worth up to US$20 billion each year.

“It just got much easier for federal officials to write smart, effective contracts that help keep the work on time and on budget,” said Brian Perlberg, executive director of the ConsensusDOCS coalition.

The federal agency announced that it will allow the use of two of the coalition’s documents, the Electronic Communications Protocol and the Contractor’s Qualification Statement for Engineered Construction.

The protocol allows for key project information to be transmitted electronically, saving significant time and money. The qualification statement, meanwhile, provides federal officials with an easy-to-use form for evaluating contractor qualifications.